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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 14th Feb 2006, 9:15 am   #1
Duke_Nukem
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Default "Civic" Brand

Somebody has asked me about a "Civic" brand name ...

Quote:
..., the chap who gave me it says he thinks it was
a co-op brand which sounds very plausible.
There is no visible logo, and although the unit is pretty bog-standard it
has a 3 motor deck and 3 speeds, which is surprising. Operation is by a
row of piano keys, not the joystick of contemporary BSR stuff.
... does anyone know anything about it ?

TTFN,
Jon
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 9:22 am   #2
ppppenguin
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

I think that Civic was a Currys brand name.
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 9:30 am   #3
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

I'm not sure about the Civic side of things, but the deck sounds like a Motek unit - these were used on a few budget models as an alternative to the BSR ones. These decks were not the last word in engineering...but did the job and at least offered a good fast winding time!

Rather like the BSR TD2 they came with their own Motek heads already fitted to the deck. In my opinion these were the biggest weak point - at 7 1/2ips they just about matched what other machines offered at 3 3/4ips.

Stewart
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 9:46 am   #4
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Re. your Civic, the deck could be the Motek (5 push buttons to right of head block & speed change on left of deck )or the Collaro studio(5 large buttons in centre of deck below head block), spd/ change to right of push buttons.

Doffery
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 9:52 am   #5
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Hello,
The CIVIC brand name was part of a large electrical group that included BROADMEADS, J & M STONE, J & F STONE, GREYS and others. They were the popular High Street stores before DIXONS took over this role. They were sold in 1973 to the GKN group purely for their finance company side. Their customers tended to buy on H.P. and the credit side must have been massive.
The CO-OP brand name was DEFIENT and the CURRYS brand name, WESTMINSTER. DIXONS who later took over CURRYS used MATSUI among others. Regards. JOHN.
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 1:17 pm   #6
Duke_Nukem
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Thanks for the replies. Attached is a pic of the unit.

TTFN,
Jon
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 1:27 pm   #7
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

I have and have seen a radio with the brand name 'Civic' too. It was a foreign looking set designed for the British Market. Similar to Unitra.

Are there two brands with the same name?

Cheers,

Steve
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 1:33 pm   #8
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve_P
I have and have seen a radio with the brand name 'Civic' too. It was a foreign looking set designed for the British Market. Similar to Unitra.
Made in Hungary I think.

Paul
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 1:34 pm   #9
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Hi Gents, The Elizabethan LZ29 was a direct equivalent. I think the circuit was in Malloy & Poole. If not I mat have a copy.

Ed
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 4:47 pm   #10
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed_Dinning
Hi Gents, The Elizabethan LZ29 was a direct equivalent. I think the circuit was in Malloy & Poole. If not I mat have a copy.

Ed
Hi
The machine looks very similar to the Elizabethan LZ29, I seem to recall that the LZ29 had phono sockets for inputs/outputs and a slightly different control panel. Without the information already posted I would have said that this machine looks like a "cross breed" between the Elizabthan LZ29 and a Fidelity Argyll of some description.

Andrew
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Old 14th Feb 2006, 10:08 pm   #11
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Hello,

Here is some more info on the provenance of the "Civic" brand:

J & M Stone Ltd, in 1955, a TV and radio retailer with multiple outlets (in 1950, they had 64 shops and Max Stone was the MD – the “J” was John Stone). In the same year, they acquired Civic Radio Services Ltd, of Birmingham (with 17 branches). Circa 1960, all branches were converted to trade as “Civic”. They either went into receivership or were taken over in the late 60’s/early 70’s.....

The Firth Cleveland Group, in 1960, acquired 53% of Solartron Electronic Group Ltd, Simmonds Aerocessories and control of Broadmead Ltd (owner of >500 radio stores, including Max Stone, Civic Radio Services and Escott Brothers). By 1968, it also owned SNS Communications Ltd, of Bournemouth. Firth Cleveland was a steel/engineering company that became a mini-conglomerate.

GKN (formerly Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds Ltd) acquired Firth Cleveland group in 1972.

I seem to recall Harry Worth (remember him?) advertising Civic on TV - many years ago!

Regards,

Dazzlevision
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Old 15th Feb 2006, 9:14 am   #12
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Quote:
Originally Posted by Duke_Nukem
Thanks for the replies. Attached is a pic of the unit.

TTFN,
Jon
The deck looks like a Collaro Studio, Jon.
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Old 15th Feb 2006, 11:06 am   #13
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

It does look indeed like a Collaro deck, although the control panel is reminiscent of Elizabethan and Fidelity models. Elizabethan did make models which used both the BSR TD2 deck for single speed versions and the Collaro deck for three speed versions, so it does look if the mystery player is based on an Elizabethan.
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Old 15th Feb 2006, 7:33 pm   #14
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

As from the "tape Recorders" book of 1970 tells me, this is a Magnavox Studio deck, they also go on to say that the pillar right to the head is not a tape guide, this is a three motor deck with adjustable turntables, the hubs can be moved up or down by adjusting the screw in the centre of the cine spindle, under the front plastics to the right f the pinch roller there is a loose screw which should not be tightened as its a flywheel lock.
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Old 15th Feb 2006, 9:27 pm   #15
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Hi Gents, the latest description sounds like the one I had many years ago. This was the LZ29, but it had the Collaro Deck as I have the instructions for it.
Were Magnavox and Collaro related?

Ed
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Old 15th Feb 2006, 11:52 pm   #16
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

I'm surprised that there isnt a label on this M/c somewhere, Sometimes they put a label underneath.. The Deck on the machine in the pic is a Collaro Studio deck, It was used by a lot of firms making the cheaper range of recorders. Quite a good deck for the money and better than the BSR deck .. I think Magnavox where connected in some way but not sure if same firm. The older 3 speed reversible deck seemed to vanish when the Collaro studio came along.. The latter could be bought or supplied with 4 track heads if I remember.. Peter {Reelguy}
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Old 16th Feb 2006, 2:17 pm   #17
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Quote:
Originally Posted by reelguy
The Deck on the machine in the pic is a Collaro Studio deck,
I seem to remember my (now departed) LZ29 having a Collaro deck, of the type in the picture above, the great thing about these decks was the incredibly fast (they could slice your fingers off at the right angle ) wind speeds due to them having three seperate motors (Lh Reel, Rh Reel and capstan).
They were also very quiet in operation unlike some of "other" manufacturers decks of the time.

Andrew
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Old 16th Feb 2006, 2:23 pm   #18
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed_Dinning
Were Magnavox and Collaro related?
I thought they were so I googled around and found this article:

http://www.time.com/time/archive/pre...826099,00.html

Seems like Magnavox bought Collaro in 1960.
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Old 16th Feb 2006, 2:33 pm   #19
Duke_Nukem
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Just thought I'd pass this on :-

Quote:
the information from the forum re Civic is very interesting, please pass on
my many thanks to all who've replied.
I can confirm that there is definitely no makers label of any description
either inside or out except the "Civic" brand label seen in the first
photo, but the Collaro/Magnavox/Elizabethan genealogy fits very well with
the unit.
In case anyone is interested I've taken a snap of the internals, and of the
only other label that carries a name which is "Armour Research Foundation"
to whom royalties were paid. (the mind boggles, )
I cannot see any trace of a locking screw for the flywheel, although this
might have been removed by the previous owner as the machine does appear
have had quite a few unofficial modifications over its lifetime.
TTFN,
Jon
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Old 16th Feb 2006, 6:45 pm   #20
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Default Re: "Civic" Brand

Quote:
Originally Posted by via Duke_Nukem
the only other label that carries a name which is "Armour Research Foundation" to whom royalties were paid.
Googling tells me that this was part of the Illinois Institute of Technology.

A Mr CG Barker used to work there, until he founded Magnecord: http://history.acusd.edu/gen/recording/magnecord.html

Nick
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